Sean C. Morgan
The Sweet Home Fire and Ambulance District Board of Directors last week appointed Charlene Adams to the seat vacated by Elmer Riemer.
Adams was the sole applicant for the position. Board members Don Hopkins, Larry Johnson, Tim Geil and Larry Johnson voted during their regular meeting on May 16 to appoint her.
“I’ve been on the Budget Committee four years, at least,” Adams said. “It’s just something I’ve always been interested in. We’ve had firefighters in the family.”
It’s also a way for her to get involved in the community again, said Adams, who has been involved in public life for decades, both as an elected official and as a now-retired city employee. “I haven’t done anything except be on the Library Board recently.”
When Riemer resigned, Adams said, Johnson asked her if she would be interested.
As a board member, Adams sees her role as kind of keeping “things going in the right direction, and I think it is.”
She wants to make sure the city is covered well and be there to help in any way she can.
“It’s going to be interesting to see how it’s different from the School Board,” Adams said. She served on the School Board for 12 years in the 1980s and 1990s. She also served for eight years on the SHFAD Budget Committee.
In other business, the district’s Budget Committee approved the proposed 2017-18 budget 7-0.
The budget goes to the board for a public hearing and adoption during its regular meeting at 7 p.m. on June 20.
The budget increases slightly from $2.51 million in the adopted 2016-17 budget, which ends June 30, to $2.56 million in 2017-18, both of which are lower than the $2.59 million actual budget for 2015-16.
Voting yes were Mitchell, Hopkins, Johnson and Geil, Adams, Rob Younger and Ron Sipe. Kevin Strong and Michelle Rowton were absent. One position was vacant. The board comprises the board and five additional district residents.